Scots urged to look after their mental wellbeing on World Mental Health Day

A quarter of Scots never take time to look after their mental health, despite nine in ten saying it is just as important as physical wellbeing. The figures were revealed on World Mental Health Day (10 Oct.) as the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) encouraged people in Scotland to mark the occasion by taking some time out to relax.

ASH Scotland marked World Mental Health Day by calling for further action to tackle smoking among people with mental health conditions.

The charity said smoking rates are significantly higher amongst people with mental health issues, and smoking is the single largest factor in this group, who die 10-20 years earlier than the general population.

ASH Scotland is now calling for the upcoming national mental health strategy to clearly state that support to stop smoking should be an integral part of mental health support services.

ASH Scotland has spoken out after an undercover investigation revealed the number of retailers selling cigarettes to under-age buyers in Aberdeenshire has risen by a quarter.

In the 12 months to March this year, Trading Standards officers in the North-east conducted a series of test purchase visits with 16-year-old volunteers. The underage volunteers were sold tobacco at 33% of the test purchases.

As Stoptober gets under the way, it’s been revealed that the South West has the lowest smoking rate of any English region. Bristol was the first city in the country to introduce voluntary smokefree zones.

In the South West, 15.5% of people smoke tobacco cigarettes – the lowest of any English region. That’s a fall of 3.2% over four years. And sales of cigarettes are down 14.5% in the past year.

A nationwide smoking ban is set to be implemented across the Philippines, replicating rules currently observed in president Duterte’s former jurisdiction, Davao City, where he was mayor.
The new rules, which have been drawn up in an executive order and are awaiting the president’s approval, will see all public places across the country – indoor and outdoor – become smoke-free areas.

The country’s department of health is also attempting to amend “grey areas” in the current law around the sale of tobacco. The department wants to “totally prohibit point-of-sale advertisements” for tobacco and designated indoor smoking areas.

Toronto City council has approved new rules that will require bars, restaurants and nightclubs to install outdoor butt-disposal bins and cleanup butts left lying around. Businesses that don’t comply could face a $300 fine.

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